Golf playing field



Sept. 20, 1949. M. B. REACH, sR., ETAL 2,482,210

GOLF PLAYING FIELD Filed Feb. 3, 1949 5 INVENTORS Na TONBJiL'AC/I 61?. Amp M14 ronBJRm 0/ J5.

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TTORN YS Patented Sept. 20, 1949 GOLF PLAYING FIELD Milton B. Reach, Sr., Springfield, and Milton B. Reach, Jr., Westfield, Mass.

Application February 3, 1949, Serial No. 74,304

3 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved construction of a field for playing golf and has for an object to provide a field layout to simulate as closely as possible the actual conditions encountered on an orthodox golf course and to do so within a restricted area.

In certain respects the present invention represents an improvement over the golf playing fields disclosed in Patent No. 2,455,806, granted December '7, 1948, to M. B. Reach, Sr., and copending application Serial No. 62,354, filed November 27, 1948, by M. B. Reach, Sn. for Improved construction of a field for playing golf." In other respects the present construction represents a new arrangement of elements on a playdescribed from end to end should be one of at least ninety degrees of a circle. By this arrangeing field having many advantages over said prior arrangements for playing the game.

One object of this invention is to provide for a more orderly mass movement of players on the field, the new arrangement of elements permitting a more fluid distribution of players and the accommodation thereof with a minimum of confusion.

A further object of this invention is to effect an arrangement of elements on the field to offer a greater variety of conditions under which a player makes his shots during a period of play thus offering a more eflicient and adaptable construction for simulating the actual conditions found on an orthodox golf course.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an arrangement whereby a player may move in orderly sequence from the beginning to the end of his play without retracing of steps or meeting and crossing the paths of other players on the field.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following disclosure of a preferred form of the field as illustrated in the accompanying drawing by which is shown a plan view of the field with the various elements of construction arranged thereon.

At one end of the field is located a series of spaced playing stations generally designated by letters A to I and having tee stations I with a driving tee 2 and an adjacent spaced second shot tee 3 for iron shots. One or two of the tee stations may consist of but a single tee, as tee 3, as at E and H. The series of stations I are arranged in alignment with each other in arcuate formation, the concave outline of the are thus formed facing the field.

In order to obtain a variety of playing conditions from the various toes I and 3 the are ment a player whether driving with a wood club from a tee 2 or making an iron shot froma tee 3 will find differing wind conditions at each of these tees in the different stations of the arc. A quartering wind during a given period of play on tees at one end of the arc will, for example, be a head Wind or tail wind on tees at the other end of the arc. Accordingly, a variety of conditions under which shots must be made will be found at each of the tees 2 and 3 of the stations.

The drawing illustrates preferred dimensions for the arrangement of the tee stations in which tees 2 and tees 3 are in arcuate alignment. The circular are shown as measuring on a straight line between end stations a distance of 200 yards has been drawn on a radius of yards and describes an arc of approximately 100 degrees.

On the field oppositely facing the playing stations are defined fairway driving zones as targets for shots played with the wood-clubs from the driving tees 2. The zones are denoted by the numerals 4, 5 and 6 and the minimum boundary lines 1, 8 and 9 thereof are respectively at various predetermined distances from the sets of tees 2. The limit line 1 of zone 4 is distant approximately 100 yards from each of the tees 2 in the arc and represents a target for a wood shot by the novice and women players. Limit line 8 of zone 5 represents a target for the intermediate or average player and is approximately yards from the tees 2. The championship or long target zone 6 with limit line 9 is aminimum of approximately 200 yards from the driving tees. The lines I, 8 and 9 present generally elliptical convex boundary lines facing the arc of playing stations and the outer ends of each merge as shown into lateral zone limit lines I 0 and H Thus the fairway target zones are limited laterally as well as linearly and outline a longitudinal central portion of the field requiring a certain degree of skill in executing a wood shot with direction as well as distance. The requirement of direction with the wood club shots also necessitates taking into consideration the factor of wind conditions during a period of play from each of the tees 2. p

A hit within the zone designated for a player indicates par for his wood shot. A "miss or shot outside the zoned area adds a penalty stroke, that is, counts two for a players tally on his drive.

The second shot target areas l2, I3 and ii are preferably constructed according to the disclosure of the above identified patent to M. B. Reach, Sr. Each is of a size similar to and designed to give the appearance of orthodox golf course. Each is a target for shots made with an appropriate iron club from a second shot tee 3 and preferably is constructed as a water pool with a signal fiag positioned thereing as shown. A splash in a liquid target by a player indicates a par" for the particular iron shot. A missed target means'two strokes fora player's tally on his iron shot.

Target areas mately fifteen yards in radius and are located opposite the arc of playing stations in a triangular arrangement with a short target I? on the longitudinal center line of the field directly opposite the center tee station. The center of target area I2 is preferably spaced from the center tee at E a distance of 65 yards and pro- "vides a target for short iron shots from the equidistant from various playing stations, being each end of the circular arc. Target areas It and I4 are located adjacent opposite sides of the lateralboundary lines I and II and are each distant from the nearer end tee station at least 100 yards. In the arrangement shown the areas I3 and M are centered approximately 125 yards from the closer end stations so that a player from one of the end tees will not in playing for a longer outer target, a distance of about 190 yards, misdirect a shot towards the other end stations where the players are situated.

As will be noted, putting greens l companion to each playing station I are spaced therefrom rearwardly and connected with second shot tees 3 as by paths It. In the arrangement shown playing stations E and H are provided with single tees 3 and represent the short or par three holes of an orthodox golf course which require but one approach shot to a green. This may be a stroke with a wood club or iron club depending on the distance required to a particular target and the player's preference for a club.

In playing the game according to the arrangement disclosed the orderly sequence of playing stations is followed by players making their shots from the driving and second shot tees, then proceeding to the adjacent greens l5 to complete the play at each hole. Paths II from 'each green to the next adjacent playing station in the arcuate series enables players to follow their play without retracing their steps. The arcuately spaced playing stations present a changing fairway aspect from each of the tees and in no sense represents a repetitious series of shots from each tee. The long wood shots or drives to be required at each of the tees 2 are more or less fixed according to the particular player's ability and skill. On the second shot tees 3 a predetermined choice of target areas is required for a given player to compel the use of all the various iron clubs duringthe round of play. The varying distances from the series of tees 2 to the three target areas l2, l3 and I4 permit this variety of play for all players whatever their degree of skill.

The orderly movement from beginning to end of players progressing from one hole" to each next succeeding hole" in the arrangement dis-- closed insures a greater enjoyment of the game with neither a retracing of'steps nor a crisscrossing of paths. An orderly movement of players adds simplicity to the game and permits the accommodation of more players within a a green as a target on an I2, l3 and M are each of approxirestricted area. The differently angled shots required in nearly all driving and approach shots with an ever changing fairway aspect at each tee contributes to a more effective simulation of the orthodox game of golf and a more efiicient field construction.

We claim:

1. A golf playing field having at one end a series of arcuateiy' aligned spaced sets of tee stations with driving tees and second shot tees adjacent thereto in spaced relation, said series describing an arc of substantially ninety degrees of a circle with the concave side thereof facing said field, fairway driving zones centrally of the field and oppositely facing the tees with convex boundary limit lines at predetermined distances from said tees,- lateral boundary limits for said zones connected to said convex lines and defining between them a central longitudinal portion of the field, target areas for the second shot tees each of about the same size and simulating the green used as a target on an orthodox golf course and consisting of a short target area on the longitudinal center line of said field and spaced from the central tee station at a distance less than the shortest minimum fairway zone limit and longer iron target areas one adjacent each lateral boundary line and spaced from the nearer end of said are of tees a distance of at least one hundred yards, and spaced putting greens each locatedrearwardly of said several tee stations to provide with each station a sequence of play' corresponding to the playing of one hole on an orthodox golf course.

2. A golf playing field having at one end a series of arcua'tely aligned spaced sets of tee'stations with a driving tee and an adjacent second shot tee spaced therefrom, said series describing a circular arc of substantially ninety degrees with the concave side thereof facing said field, driving fairway zones opposite said concave arc of tees for the driving tees and outlining generally elliptical-shaped minimum boundary limits facing the tees at a plurality of distances therefrom, said minimum boundaries merging into lateral boundary lines defining between them a. longitudinal central portion of said field, target areas for the second shot tees each of about the same size and simulating the green used as a target'on an orthodox golf course and consisting of a short target area on the longitudinal center line of said field and spaced from the central-tee station at adistance less than the shortest minimum fairway zone limit and longer iron target areas oneadjacent each lateral boundary line and spaced from the nearer end of said are of tees a distance of at least one hundred yards, and spaced putting greens each located rearwardly of said several teestations to provide with each station a sequence of play corresponding to the .playing of one hole on an orthodox golf course and permitting advance to the next adjacent station without retracing of steps, each tee-station of the series providing a changing fairway aspect and variety of wind conditions during a. given period of play.

3. A golf playing field having a plurality of spaced driving tees at one end ,thereof outlining a concave arcuate formation facing said field and describing from end to end at least ninety degrees of a circle, second shot tees in line with said driving tees and each in adjacent spaced relation to a driving tee, a plurality of fairway driving zones for said driving tees the minimum limits thereof being outlined by convex bound- 3 aries at predetermined distances from said series of driving tees, target areas'tor. said second shot tees each of about the same size and simulating the green used as a target on an orthodox golf course, comprising a short target area located equidistant from each end tee and less than one hundred yards from the center tee of said series and two long target areas one opposite each end of said series of tees and adjacent the outer boundary of the shortest or said fairway driving areas, said latter target areas being distant from the nearer end tees at leastv one hundred yards, and spaced putting greens severally arranged in adiacent rearward locations to said tees, whereby players on the field 2 during a given period of play.

MILTON B. REACH, Sn. MILTON B. REACH, JR.

REFERENCES crrED The following references are of record in the I file of this patent:

may progress from driving to second shot tees I UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,851,423 Ely Mar. 29, 1932 2,455,806 7 Reach Dec. 7,, 1948 tees afl'ording a variety of 

